We build meaningful brands that move the world forward.
Born in 2020, GentleForces was founded by industry leaders Danni Mohammed and Stuart Harkness to make meaningful impact at scale.
Partnering with forward-thinking founders and progressive business leaders, we build meaningful brands that move the world forward.
Danni Mohammed Founder, Strategy–Innovation
Danni is a strategic business leader and driver of change. Holding leadership roles at acclaimed companies – across UK, US, Germany & Asia – including Adidas Originals, Wieden+Kennedy, Saatchi & Saatchi and WPP. She has transformed brands, led global change efforts and set up new practices from scratch. Most notably, Danni led the digital transformation of Adidas’ largest business unit and the global SK-II (P&G) Tokyo Olympics partnership. An invaluable partner to progressive founders and leaders, Danni’s power lies in her visionary approach; reimagining brands for the future and leading innovative solutions that move us forward.
Stuart Harkness
Co-Founder, Creative–Innovation
Stuart is a creative leader and writer who has developed the tone of voice and storytelling for the world’s most successful brands. He ran Nike at Wieden+Kennedy, creating iconic campaigns such as the Cannes Film Grand Prix winning ‘Write The Future’. He helped build HONDAMENTALISM plus provided Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg with over a billion ‘Friends’. After living in both London and Portland, Oregon, Stuart then served as the co-ECD of 72andSunny Amsterdam, leading adidas, while also helping deliver global platforms for Samsung and Axe. Providing meaningful growth in high profile categories. Now turning his attention to making cultural impact for modern thinking brand partners alongside GentleForces.
What our partners say:
“GentleForces have been priceless partners in helping us to build our new brand.”
Simon Brown, Global General Manager H&M Move
“The finest brand work my team has ever seen.”
Sam Sutaria, CEO WaterBear
“This work is the catalyst that is already changing lives.”
Baroness Patricia Scotland, Secretary General The Commonwealth
“They are mindfully working to improve the relationship between humans and nature.”
Dr. Kyla Orr, Co-founder & Director Kelp Crofters
“Their extensive expertise has been a great support in creating our strategy for meaningful community engagement.”
Diana Amini, Global Head of Community H&M Move
“GentleForces look to find humanity and challenge the status quo.”
Samona Olanipekun, Writer & Director Lammas Park
We’re a nimble outfit from the worlds of strategy, creativity, design, community, sustainability and innovation.
We have a modular offering. Six forces that build meaningful brands. Dive into one, mix and match or embrace the lot.
Vision
Creation
Design
Community
Sustainability
Innovation
Define the vision and
discover how to get there
Why do you exist? Which direction are you heading in? Where do you need to go? Whether it’s building a new brand or transforming a current one, we put everything on the table and build a holistic vision to get there.
Create culturally impactful
storytelling and execution
How do you become relevant? How do you create meaningful change? We develop concepts that push you forward and storytelling that pulls you in. We bring ideas to life and make cultural impact at scale.
Craft brand identities and
design systems with meaning
How do you show up? What do you represent? How do you set yourself apart? We craft unique brand identities and design systems with meaning. We help you express your brand statically, in motion and spatially.
Build mutual value exchange through authentic engagement
Where do you start? Do you build or do you champion? Who do you support? From grassroots to global, we help create mutual value exchange through authentic community engagement.
Deliver planet positive solutions that inspire everyone to take part
Understanding where you are on the journey. Identifying what has to change. We develop planet positive solutions and use creativity to inspire everyone to take part. Progess is action.
Make unexpected leaps to help push progress forward
How do you do things better? What’s never been done? What will make the difference? We develop impact propositions and progressive solutions. Taking unexpected leaps, we challenge the status quo to move the world forward.
H&M Move
WaterBear >
Building a modern sports brand from scratch.
As H&M democratised fashion, we set out to democratise sport. Reframing it as movement so every body can take part. Baking inclusivity into a modern brand and championing ‘However You Move’. A progressive new benchmark helping move the world.
Designing for movement.
We created a unique brand identity and design system with one goal: to inspire and enable movement for every body. Intentionally designing a core and living logo to be applied on product, in communications and retail.
Creating real community engagement.
We laid the foundations for a unified approach to community engagement for H&M Move. We put mutual value exchange at the heart of our community impact strategy, enabling H&M’s 70+ markets and regions to become real champions and supporters of their local movement-based communities.
Driving planet positive impact at scale.
We developed a global planet impact strategy for H&M Move. From design and production all the way through to material innovation, shipments and packaging. We took it to the next-level, inspiring others to join us, by collaborating with fitness-icon and climate activist, Jane Fonda.
WaterBear
< H&M Move
No More >
Creating foundations for meaningful growth.
We created a foundational brand platform, narrative and visual direction that everyone could get behind; showing that the power of the stories they tell, can inspire and create action, transforming the world for the better.
No More
< WaterBear
Paradise Futures >
#JoinTheChorus to end domestic and sexual violence.
We helped bring domestic and sexual violence out from behind closed doors for the No More Foundation and The Commonwealth. The pro-bono campaign, fronted by FKA twigs, was launched at the UN General Assembly.
Paradise Futures
< No More
Plant Pensions >
An experimental space to explore new solutions.
Paradise Futures is our platform dedicated to exploring ideas for a better tomorrow. Through a range of mediums, we seek to capture thoughts, ideas and solutions that might make the world a brighter, more connected place.
Plant Pensions
< Paradise Futures
Go to work protecting the planet.
The first ever pension for the planet. Plant Pensions allow people and companies to invest in the future of our planet by directly contributing to the removal of Co2 from the atmosphere and the conservation of the natural environment.
What is GentleForces?
GentleForces (aka GF) is a hardcore crew of top specialist talent who plug in upstream to brands and businesses. We’re your brand impact partner, bringing an outside-in perspective to your business. Working together to truly push things forward.
Do the people in the room disappear once we partner?
No, we are not fly-by-night magicians. The brains you meet are those you work with. Dedicated to your business. Not some unexpected switcheroo.
What level does GentleForces operate at?
Any level that has potential for progress. But the bigger the project, the more potential for wide-scale impact. Demonstrated with our founding partners who include H&M Move, building a modern sports brand from scratch over a two-year period in stealth mode. Plus launching a global domestic & sexual violence platform at the United Nations General Assembly for the NO MORE Foundation. We have a high caliber and trusted network, and are particular about who we work with. We go from 10 to 100 ‘Geoffs’ depending on the task.
Why do we call ourselves ‘Geoff’ when it was founded by a woman of colour?
Our founder, Danni, can speak really fast sometimes. Saying ‘GF’, Stu heard ‘Geoff’. So it stuck. We’re all ‘Geoffs’ at GentleForces. We refer to Geoff as running the show, someone we respect and that’s also each other.
Am I paying for fancy pants offices and a company jet?
You are only paying for razor sharp thinking versus massive overheads. Our London studio is next to a farm where you can meet goats if you like. More importantly, you will see and feel the fee in the work. Not unnecessary expenses. We also only travel when necessary and sustainably if we can.
Where is GentleForces based?
We have studio space in LDN, AMS, NYC. Which gives us a strong handle on the UK, Europe and USA. But also work closely with our Asia partners and set up home when there.
Will GF work on anything?
Not exactly. GF only works on projects that move the world forward. What do we mean by that? Projects that advance us all positively in some shape or form. Whether that’s society, communities, our planet or generally. We orient things in the right direction. We believe in partnering with founders and business leaders who want to progress the world somehow.
Is GF purpose-based?
GentleForces is values-based. We believe the brands and businesses of the future will be too or they won’t exist. Our approach is imbued with values. Why? Because otherwise there’s no point. Our six forces for building a meaningful brand are what we bring to the table, outlined on the site. We’re happy to discuss in person if you require further detail of course.
GF is small so is it cheap or free?
Do not equate size with fee. Trust us, or the ancient Roman philosopher, Lucius Annaeus Seneca who coined, ‘quality over quantity’. We are nimble but what you’re paying for is 20+ years of high caliber experience. Visionary thinking. Elevated creativity. And diverse perspectives. Competitively priced. But it won’t be complimentary. Though we very often get compliments on our output. Our currency is our culture and people, and what we do at GentleForces. We think you will agree too.
How can I join forces?
Want to join forces and push your brand forward? Drop nathan@gentleforces.com a line.
Want to make an impact in your work? Tell niranjela@gentleforces.com about yourself.
Anything else? It’s hello@gentleforces.com
Say hello
For general enquiries: hello@gentleforces.com For new projects: nathan@gentleforces.com For talent: niranjela@gentleforces.com
Find us
Old Paradise Yard, London Lokaal Lokaal, Amsterdam 34th Street, Brooklyn
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